Okoye keeps first Serie A clean sheet of season, Iheanacho benched for 90 minutes, Sadiq makes first start
Udinese of Italy goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye kept his first clean sheet of the 2024/25 Serie A season when his club played host to Cesc Fabregas team, Como at the Bluenergy Stadium – Stadio Friuli on Sunday evening.
The 25 year made a few saves against the Serie A newcomers as the Friuli won the game courtesy of a Brenner da Silva’s 43rd minute goal following assists from Nigeria-born former Netherlands U21 star, Kingsley Ehizibue.
It was Okoye’s 24th straight start in 24 Serie A games since he made his debut against Bologna in December last year following his transfer from Sky Bet Championship side, Watford last year August.
Okoye has now kept five clean sheets in 24 Serie A games and will now shift his focus to Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 qualifying games against Benin Republic and Rwanda this month.
In England, Tom Dele-Bashiru was on for the entire duration of the game at Bramall Lane as his side, Watford lost for the first time in the Sky Bet Championships this season at Sheffield United.
It was the 24 year old Nigerian’s fourth start in the four Sky Bet Championship games that have been played this season.
In Spain, Kelechi Iheanacho was an unused substitute as Sevilla lost for the second time at home this season in the LaLiga.
The 27-year-old has started just once and was subbed on in the other LaLiga games he has featured in since he switched England for Spain at the end of the 2023/24 season.
His compatriot at the club, Ejuke Chidera made his second straight start and was on for 90 minutes but could not inspire Sevilla to their first win of the season, instead the team crashed 2-0 to Girona at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán
Still in Spain, Chrisantus Uche made his third start in three games for Getafe who drew goalless with Umar Sadiq’s Real Sociedad at the Coliseum.
Sadiq made his first start of the campaign for the visitors but subbed off on 66 minutes while Uche was on for 90 minutes and only got substituted thereafter.
In Belgium, Raphael Onyedika was on from the start to the finish for his club who bashed Cercle Brugge 3-0 in a Brugge derby at the Jan Breydel Stadion.
It was the Nigerian’s fourth start in a row for the club after he was linked with a move away from the club before the transfer window shut.
Jordan Torunarigha was on for 46 minutes in his club, Gent’s 1-1 draw with visiting Royal Antwerp at the Ghelamco Arena.
In Scotland, Cyriel Dessers and Leon Balogun were both in action for Rangers at Celtic Park where they went, they saw and were annihilated by their host, Celtic 3-0 in a Scottish Premiership tie.
While Dessers was on for all 90 minutes, Balogun was brought in on 80 minutes for damage control as the host has scored all three goals five minutes before his introduction.
